Pollution control apparatus for combustive dismantling

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for use in disposing of products of combustion created by burning a railway car which includes a snorkel which can be raised and lowered over an opening in the top of the railway car. A fan is connected to the snorkel and draws products of combustion therefrom and discharges the products of combustion into a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is heated to cause further burning of the products of combustion to eliminate partially burned portions thereof.

United States Patent Allen [451 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] POLLUTION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTIVE DISMANTLING [72] Inventor: Richard H. Allen, Cincinnati, Ohio [73] Assignee: The David J. Joseph Company, Cincinnati, Ohio [22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 200,809

[52] US. Cl. ..ll0/l8 R, 18/8 A, 23/277 C [51] Int. Cl ..F23g 5/00, F23g 5/12 [58] Field of Search ..23/277 C, 2 C; 110/8 R, 8 A,

110/8 C, 18 R, 18 A, 18C

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,076,421 2/1963 Spitz .;....110/18 C 4/1963 Attanasio et al. ....23/277 C X 3,590,756 7/1971 Erman ..1 10/18 C 3,606,611 9/1971 Wright ..23/277 C X Primary Examiner-Joseph Scovronek Attorney-James W. Pearce et a1,

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for use in disposing of products of combustion created by burning a railway car which includes a snorkel which can be raised and lowered over an opening in the top of the railway car. A fan is connected to the snorkel and draws products of combustion therefrom and discharges the products of combustion into a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is heated to cause further burning of the products of combustion to. eliminate partially burned portions thereof.

15 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED I972 3,693. 559

sum 1 BF 2 FIG. 2

F I G.

INVENTOR.

RICHARD H. ALLEN WWWLS'W P TENTEDSEPZB m2 sum 2 OF 2 3593559.

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TL WL V WH D Du A H C R AHorneys POLLUTION CONTROL APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTIVE DISMANTLING This invention relates to pollution control in railway car dismantling operations, and more particularly to the disposal by combustion of the wood portions contained in steel boxcars and the like.

The railroad industry in the United States in recent years has been annually retiring tens of thousands of freight cars such as are at times called steel boxcars, steel sheath boxcars, steel sheath refrigerator cars, steel baggage cars and the like in which the exterior of the car comprises a layer of steel while the interior has a substantial amount of wood and other combustibles, hereinafter usually referred to collectively as wood in the floor and walls. It has for many years been the practice in dismantling such cars to salvage from them portions of the brake gear, running gear and the like which are salable because suitable for further use in repairing cars in use, and then to remove some 6,000 to 10,000 pounds of wooden components lacking salvage value, by burning the car. Following burning, the remainder is primarily ferrous metal which is then cut up for sale as scrap, either on the burning site or on a cutting site to which it is moved by crane, dragline or the like after burning.

In accordance with such practice, burning of the car usually involved burning the car body after it had been lifted off its trucks by a crane or other hoist and deposited on an off-track burning site, opening the doors of the car wide, removing oil soaked waste from the journal boxes, placing it on the wooden floor of the car and setting the waste on fire. The fire then spread to the wooden and other combustible components, primarily floor and wall components, which burned away in a period of several hours accompanied by production of substantial clouds of smoke. The combustive removal was the most economic from the standpoint of the dismantlers, as it was least expensive, requiring virtually no labor, and the products of combustion of the otherwise useless wood in the main became airborne and were thus transported away from the dismantling site without use of equipment, labor or a solid waste dump. Further, failure to remove the body from the trucks often resulted in overheating of the wheels and other running gear parts to a degree that metallurgical changes occurred which destroyed their usefulness and salability at the higher prices of used parts rather than the lower salvage value as scrap.

With the increasing concern over pollution of the atmosphere and the passage of legislation such as Clean Air Acts, there has been substantial interest and effort directed to the elimination of the pollution flowing from the usual practice of combustive removal of the wood portions of boxcar bodies. Some efforts in this vein have involved the construction of expensive devices such as entire car incinerators, for example, and studies supported by the government and the industry, but inasmuch as the dismantling of such freight cars is an intermittent and marginally profitable activity, pollution control devices previously available have not been economically suitable to the industry. That the industry is necessary is indicated by mere contemplation of the alternative to dismantling, accumulation of retired railroad cars at a rate of tens of thousands per year.

An object of this invention is to provide pollution control means for railroad car dismantling through combustive destruction of wooden components which is both economic in original cost and economic in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character suited for intermittent use with low maintenance costs, which can, if desired, be installed on an existing railroad track in a scrapping area.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which can effectively meet pollution standards in connection with cars resting on tracks and which does not interfere with operation of other railway vehicles over that track when the device is not in use.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide means for railroad car dismantling by which wooden components of said railroad cars may be economically removed by burning while the car body is mounted on its trucks with wheels resting on a railroad track and other running gear intact without overheating and destroying the further usefulness of those wheels and other attached running gear parts by effecting undesirable metallurgical changes, and, without damage to the track, while the car after it has been burned remains movable along said track as a vehicle to the site for further dismantling and cut-up.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and in part obvious from the following description of what presently appears to be a preferred embodiment of the instant invention described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a pollution control device embodying the instant invention shown in association with a boxcar body, some details of which are omitted for simplicity and clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 with portions thereof omitted;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the device having an access panel for service and inspection;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical elevation of the after burner portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 99 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 10-10 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section showing details of construction of the wall of afterburner portion of the device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in vertical section showing details of construction of the upper portion of the cylindrical wall and domed roof portion of the afterburner portion of the device.

In the drawings and following specification, like reference characters indicate like parts.

What presently appearsto be a preferred embodiment of the instant invention and shown in the drawings is a structure in which a tower supports a hoist 21 which in turn supportingly positions an intake snorkel 22 which is also supported for pivoting about an axis 23 by bearings 24 and 25. The snorkel 22 is connected to the intake port 26 of centrifugal fan 27 which draws fluid through the snorkel 22 and discharges it through input duct 28 into combustion chamber 29 from which it subsequently is discharged upwardly.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the device is located adjacent a railroad track 30 represented schematically in FIG. 1 by ties 31 and rails 32.

The tower 20 includes a pair of conventional structural steel members 33, 34 set in a suitable base 19 such as concrete and extending vertically in substantially cross bracingas by braces 36 is preferably supplied in 7 locations sufficiently below the head beam as to permit desired movement of the snorkel 22, as will be subsequently more fully explained.

On the upper portion of the tower an electric hoist 21 is mounted in cooperative effective length changing relation with cable 38, as is more fully described hereinafter.

The casing of centrifugal fan or blower 27 is mounted in fixed position upon support 39, the lower portions of which are imbedded in or otherwise secured to foundation or base 19. The blower 27 is mounted so that the axis of rotation of the impeller thereof, which axis may coincide with the snorkel pivot axis 23, extends horizontally and substantially parallel to the center line of railroad track 30. Blower 27 has a bearing collar portion 25 located annularly of the intake port 26 thereof, which collar 25 is substantially coaxial with the axis 23 of rotation of impeller 46 and adapted to receive the discharge end 44 of the snorkel 22 for relative rotation therein while also affording bearing support against axial shifting of that end' portion 44 of the snorkel relative to the blower casing. A pair of bearings 24 are mounted on a pedestal 45 spaced outwardly from the intake port 26 of the blower 27 and concentrically aligned with the aforementioned axis 23 of rotation of the blower impeller 46.

Snorkel 22 is fabricated of a material having substantial heat resistance such as type 321 stainless steel. The unitary snorkel 22 from its intake end has in series an inverted U-shaped portion 41, drop section 42, and discharge elbow section 43, the discharge end of which is 44. The elbow section 43 has a hollow boss 47 from which shaft element 48 rigidly mounted therein projects in alignment with the axis 23 of the discharge end 44 of the snorkel, which shaft 48 is thus in axial alignment with the impeller of blower 27. Shaft 48 is journalled for pivoting and axial movement in bearings, such as pillow blocks, 24 mounted on pedestal previously described. The inverted U-shaped section 41 -of the snorkel may be braced and reinforced by spaced collar bands 49 and 50 coupled by truss-beam 51 and by truss-brace 52 extending from truss-beam 51 to the central portion of inverted U-section 41. Collar 49 has an upwardly and outwardly projecting integral arm portion 59 to which control cable 38 is secured by A anchor member 53. Cable 38 extends from collar arm 59 to electric hoist 21 mounted on head beam 35 of the tower adjacent upright 33, and operation of which hoist 21 results in winding in or paying out of cable 38. The forces applied to arm portion 59 through cable 38 may be small enough as to permit counterclockwise rotation of the snorkel 22 or great enough to resist counterclockwise rotation and thus retain the snorkel 22 in stationaryposition or great enough to effect clockwise rotation of snorkel 22 about axis 23, in which latter case raising of the intake end 40 of the snorkel upward and toward the viewer when viewed as in FIG. 2. Collar 50 has a similar outwardly and upwardly projecting arm portion 60 to which cable 54 is secured by anchor means 55. Cable 54 extends from arm 60 over pulley means 57' mounted in a location adjacent the juncture of head beam 35 and tower upright 34 and extends downwardly to a ballast weight, not shown. The action of the ballast weight on the cable 54 results in that cable applying through anchor means 55 to arm portion a force having upward and counterclockwise direction when viewed as in FIG. 1, and the magnitude of that force also permits the snorkel at band 50 to move away from the viewer as viewed in FIG. 2, which is to the left as viewed in FIG. 1. The combined effect of the forces applied through cables 38 and 54 to arms 59 and 60 is one which maintains the snorkel 22 in desired position, i.e., with inlet end 40 in particular relation to car top 92 or retracted so as to not interfere with any railway vehicle moving along track 30. Thus, snorkel tube 22 is mounted for pivoting about the horizontal axis 23 spaced from and parallel to track 30 and may be swung or pivoted about that axis between positions as desired, such as the full-line position and the dot-dash line position shown in FIG. 1.

The snorkel 22 is subjected to substantial variations in temperature with the result that expansionand contraction of the snorkel results in a small amount of axial shifting of shaft 48 in bearing 24. When viewed as in FIG. 2, shaft 48 moves to the left incident to expansion of the snorkel and to the right when contraction occurs incident to cooling, but the discharge end 44 of the snorkel remains substantially stationary in the axial direction and thus remains in cooperative relation to I the intake of blower fan 27.

The fan 27 is one designed for continuous operation handling fluids at substantially elevated temperatures, that is, in excess of 1,200 F. and preferably as high as l,600 F. The fan is thus like the snorkel constructed of suitable materials to withstand handling of fluids, substantially gaseous fluids, in such temperature range. The fan casing is desirably of double wall form constructed with at least the inwardly facing portion of a material such as type 321 stainless steel, while the outwardly facing portion may be of less heat resistant character, and with glass, asbestos, or other suitable fibrous insulating filling inside those walls. The impeller 46 of the fan is also of heat-resistant material such as type 321 stainless steel and mounted upon shaft 56 journalled in bearings 57 mounted upon a support or pedestal 58 externally of the fan casing. The shaft 56 extends beyond the support pedestal 58, and sheaves or pulleys 61 are mounted thereon, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A variable speed power source such as an internal combustion engine 62 is provided with suitably sized sheaves or pulleys 63 mounted on its output shaft 64, and the pulleys 63 and 61 respectively carried by the engine shaft and the fan impeller shaft are coupled by means of suitable chains or belts 65 so that the engine 62 can drive the impeller 46 at speeds corresponding to the speed at which the engine is operated to operate the device, as will be more fully explained subsequently herein.

Fluids discharged from the fan 27 pass through input duct 28 into combustion chamber 29. Like snorkel 22, input duct 28 is preferably fabricated from a high temperature stainless steel. Provided in the side of duct 28 is a manhole 88 normally closed by a cover 89 held in place by fasteners 90 and sealed by a gasket 91. Manhole 88 provides access to the interior of the combustion chamber for inspection and repair purposes. Combustion chamber 29 is mounted on base 19 and has a cylindrical steel outer wall 66 extending vertically between a steel bottom 67 and domed steel roof 68 which when joined together form a steel outer shell. The domed steel roof 68 has a central vent aperture 69 and prior to joining of the domed steel roof 68 to the cylindrical steel wall 66, I prefer to line the roof 68 by attaching to the underside thereof suitable lining anchoring and reinforcing members 70 and then protectively embedding the reinforcing members by pouring a refractory cement lining 71 of desired shape annularly of aperture 69 in the roof 68 while same is upside down. Before the lined domed roof is installed, a cylindrical lining 72 of tapered fire brick 73 is laid up inside and spaced from the steel outer shell 66 using a suitable refractory cement to form the joints 74 between the bricks. As the lining 72 is laid up, a refractory felt 75 such as .lohns-Manville Cerafelt," is positioned to fill the space between the exterior surface 76 of the brick lining 72 and the interior surface 77 of the steel shell wall 66. The felt blanket 75 is of thickness, density and other properties such that the blanket can undergo compression due to expansion of the firebrick lining as the latter is heated up and will expand as the firebrick lining shrinks radially as it cools down so that the blanket at all times substantially fills the space between the firebrick lining and the steel outer shell. in a device in which the steel outer shell has an internal diameter of approximately 6 feet,'l have found that a board of the cylindrical steel outer wall 66, as illustrated in FIG. 12, effecting a protective overlap which precludes entry of hydrometeors into the upper end of the wall 66. When the interior of combustion chamber 29 is heated by the occurrence of combustion therein, the cylindrical firebrick lining 72 expands not only radially but vertically as well, and the domed occurrence roof 68 with its lining 71 supported on the upper end of the cylindrical lining is carried upwardly as the expansion of the latter progresses. The overlap of the steel roof portion 68 is of such an extent that even when maximum vertical lifting of the dome roof through expansion of the firebrick lining 72 has occurred, the steel roof portion overlaps and terminal edge 681 is disposed at all times below the upper edge of the cylindrical steel wall 66.

Combustion chamber 29 is provided with a cupola top 79, upwardly through which fluids discharged from vent aperture 69 in the roof 68 escape into the atmosphere. The cupola top 79 also protects the refractory lining 72 from water damage by substantially blocking entry of rain and other hydrometeors through the vent aperture 69.

As shown in FIG. 8, fluids discharged from blower 27 through input duct 28, enter the lower regions, of the combustion chamber tangentially through inlet port 80.

For preheating the combustion chamber and for adding heat during treatment of fluids in the combustion chamber, two burners 81,82 of suitable capacity. are provided in the lower portion of the cylindrical wall 66 and each is tilted to produce a respective flame directed upwardly at an angle of approximately 10. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the lower burner 81 is mounted to direct the flame produced thereby substantially tangentially to the inner face of the firebrick lining 72 of the combustion chamber. The flame projecting from burner 81 is directed at an upward angle and extends from the input port 83 shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 from which it follows an ascending leftwardly curving path bounded on its outer side by the firebrick lining 72 and extends to a flat turbulence plate 84 shown in FlGS. 6, 7, and 10 and located in the path of the flame of burner 81. One edge of turbulence plate 84 is welded to cylindrical wall 66 and the plate extends radially inwardly therefromthrough the refractory felt and firebrick layers 75,72 and for about one-sixth of the ina wall thickness of approximately 4% inches. The

refractory lining is completed by'pouring a refractory cement floor 78 in the bottom of the combustion chamber.

The firebrick lining 72 is constructed so as to extend above the top edge of cylindrical steel outer shell 66 as a continuous refractory lining. The steel domed roof 68 is disposed about the outer sides and top of the lining 71 and extends downwardly to its lower edge 681 outterior diameter of the combustion chamber. This turbulence plate 84 may be of type 32] stainless steel plate or other material which is resistant to the temperatures and conditions present in the combustion chamber. The second burner 82, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 10, is mounted to produce a flame which is tilted upwardly at an angle of about l0 but the centerline 82c of which extends into the combustion chamber through input port 82p in a non-tangential relation to the inner face of the lining 72, that is along a path which extends above and in the vicinity of the inward edge 85 of turbulence plate 84 projected upwardly.

The burners 81,82 may be designed for natural gas fuel and Maxon Premix Burner Company lnc., model 400 Ovenpak" burners, each of 7,500,000 B.T.U. per hour rated capacity, are satisfactory for devices having dimensions of the order mentioned earlier. Such burners preferably embody suitable ignition means and are controllable as to heat output from pilot light operation level upwardly to rated capacity. Controls for the operation of the burners 81,82 preferably include thermocouple or other suitable temperature sensing devices for monitoring temperatures in the combustion chamber such as the thermocouple 86 located about two-thirds of the way up the combustion chamber. Also a similar temperature monitoring device 87 is provided near the'discharge end 44 of snorkel 22.'Controls (not shown) are also provided for the engine 62 which drives fan 46 at speeds ranging from an idling speed upwardjto full speed to produce movements of gaseous fluids in the volume-ranges utilized in operating the device.

Operation of the above described device in the burning of a boxcar'18 is as'follows. The burners 81,82 are placed in operation to gradually heat the combustion chamber 29 to a temperature of about l,600 F which preheating can be accomplished in about one-half hour. During the heat up or preheating of the combustion chamber 29, the blower fan 27 is operated slowly to introduce approximately 5,000 standard cubic feet of air per minute. While the combustion chamber 29 is being preheated, a boxcar is moved along tracks 32 so that it is substantially centered beneath the intake end 40 of snorkel 22, and the doors 96 of the car are opened. Hoist 21 is operated to pay out cable 38 until snorkel intake end 40 is resting upon the roof 92 of the car 18 or in very close spaced relation thereto. Chalk or other suitable marking medium is used to trace the outline of the snorkel on the car roof 92 and then hoist 21 is operated to wind in a portion of cable-38 so as to raise the mouth of the snorkel away from the car roof and a cutting tool such as an acetylene torch is used to cut away that portion of the car roof within the traced outline of the snorkel, thus providing a vent hole 93 in the car roof 92. A similar hole 94 is provided in the floor 95 of the car, which latter opening 94-may be made by using a pick axe or other tool. The hoist 21 is again operated to lower the intake end 40 of the snorkel 22 into substantial registry with the vent hole 93 in the roof of the car.

When the combustion chamber 29 has been heated to approximately l,600 F the floor 95 of the car is ignited in a suitable fashion, such as through use of oilsoaked waste'from the journal boxes as in accord with past practice, or in any other manner which is convenient, and the car doors 96 are closed as tightly as possible. Air is thus drawn through the hole 94 in floor 95 of car 18, and a mixture of air and the products of combustion (and 'partial combustion) of the wood lining including smoke particles are withdrawn through the hole 93in thereof 92 of the car into the snorkel 22 and, as a substantially gaseous fluid, pass through the blower fan 27,'from whence same is delivered to combustion chamber 29 through input duct 28 The gaseous fluids are delivered into the combustion chamber 29 tangentially to the inner face of the lining wall 72 thereof and tend to flow adjacent the wall and upwardly toward the discharge opening 69 in the combustion chamber which leads into the cupola top 79. As the gaseous fluid mixture flows, a portion of it tends to entrain in or mix with the hot gases and flame of burner 81. At the. location of turbulence plate 84, the flame of burner 81 as well as the gaseous fluids introduced through input duct 28 undergo a change in flow character which results in their turbulent intermixing which is further enhanced by the flame of burner 82 extending chordwise into the turbulent mixture in the combustion chamber a short distance above the level of turbulence plate 84. The resulting intermixing of the fluid materials introduced through input duct 28 and the burning fluids introduced through burners 81 and 82 produce both thorough mixing and a mixture which is at a temperature in the range of l,600 F. to 2,000 F in which temperature range smoke particles in the presence of atmospheric oxygen included in the fluid introduced through input duct 28 are rapidly burned as the turbulent fluid travels upwardly in the combustion chamber 29 from the vicinity of burner 82 to the vent aperture 69 through which they enter the cupola top 79 by which they escape to the atmosphere.

Once the burning of the car is thus under way, the engine 62 is gradually speeded up until the blower fan is operating to deliverapproximately 40,000 standard cubic feet per minute of air, products of combustion, and partially burned particles withdrawn through snorkel 22 from the interior of the car being burned. As the combustion of the wooden elements forming the interior of the car progresses, the temperature in the car and of the mixture of air, products of combustion or partially burned particles drawn out through vent hole 92 rises, and that temperature is monitored through the thermocouple 87 in the snorkel. In the interest of snorkel and blower life, it is desirable to prevent excess temperature in the fluids coming over through the snorkel. When that fluid mixture reaches temperatures in the vicinity of l,600 F., temperature modulation may be accomplished through operation of hoist 21 to raise intake end 40 of snorkel 22 away from the car roof 92, resulting in atmospheric air being drawn into the snorkel from above the car roof 92, and as this mixes in thesnorkel with the effluent from the car, the temperature of the mixture delivered to the blower is lowered as a result. The distance which end 40 of the snorkel is raised above the car roof, is thus kept in relation to'the temperature of the fluid being delivered from the snorkel to the fan as indicated by thermocouple 87. Also, as the temperature of the fluid delivered to the combustion chamber through input duct 28 approaches l,600 F., the amount of additional heat supplied to the combustion chamber through operation of burners 81 and 82 is lowered by gradually shutting down those burners, to the end that the temperature in the combustion chamber is kept within the range of about l,700 F. to 2,000 F. as sensed by thermocouple 86. In actual operation the burners are in this fashion often shut down to pilot 30 to 40 minutes after burning of the car is commenced and temperatures are then regulated by raising and lowering intake end 40 of the snorkel until the temperatures begin to fall and increasing quantities of supplemental heat from operation of burners 81,82 is required together with decrease in the volume of fluid mixture drawn from the car through the snorkel by the blower fan as the burning of the car proceeds to conclusion.

Thus, by varying the operation of the burners 81 and 82, the speed of motor 62 which relates to the volume of fluid delivered through input duct 28 into the combustion chamber and by adjustment of the position of the snorkel intake end in relation to the roof of the car 9 being burned, the temperatures in the device can be controlled so that the fluids passing through the combustion chamber are subjected to temperatures within the above mentioned ranges for sufficient time to complete combustion of any unburned substance withdrawn from the car through the snorkel, and as a result the gases discharged through the cupola top are substantially colorless and fall within the range of to on the Ringelman scale during the approximate 1- hour period required to burn a boxcar through use of the above described device. Also the track, wheels, axles and other running gear remain usable and salvageable as used parts, free of heat produced metallurgical damage as they are only subjected to heating during a burning of about l hour (which is half or less of the burning time in the long practiced method) and during the reduced burning time the track, wheels, axles and other running gear are simultaneously aircooled by the air drawn toward and through the car bottom as a result of the operation of the device of the instant invention, with the result that heat-produced metallurgical damages to track, wheels and other running gear is obviated and rolling mobility of the car on the track maintained beyond burning without sacrifree of the used-part salvage values therein.

If a series of more than one car 18 is to be burned, a second car 18 may be substantially prepared for burning while the first is being burned, and when the first has been substantially burned after one hour, the snorkel is raised and the burned car moved farther along the track while the succeeding car is moved into position, roof and floor vents provided if such has not already been done, and the car ignited and burned. When the last car in the series has been burned, the device is shut down in a fashion that permits gradual cooling of the combustion chamber. It is to be noted that the upright cylindrical combustion chamber lining is much more resistant to deterioration resulting from successive cycles of heating up and cooling down thereof than would be the lining of a horizontal combustion chamber so as to give increased life, and, additionally, the upright combustion chamber substantially I eliminates the need for a chimney or smokestack.

While in the forgoing description of what presently appears to be a preferred embodiment of the invention a temperature sensing device such as thermocouples 86,87 have been mentioned in connection with monitoring the temperature in the combustion chamber, additional temperature monitoring devices may be incorporated in burners and in other locations in the combustion chamber, if desired.

Inasmuch as the device will ordinarily be subjected to intermittent use while the track along which cars to be burned move is often needed for other purposes, snorkel 22 may be drawn into the dot-dash line position of FIG. 1 such that its intake end is so located with reference to the track as to clear locomotives, locomotive cranes, or other rolling stock which might move along the track, and thus not interfere with movement of any vehicles along that track when the device is not in use.

I have found that with the substantial temperatures generated in the burning of a car by use of the described device, provision of a heat shield 17 contributes substantially to the comfort of operating personnel.

Having described what presently appears to be a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, it will in part be apparentand in part be obvious that changes may be made in the illustrative embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for disposing of products of combustion from burning flammable portions of a railway car which comprises a snorkel, means for raising and lowering the snorkel over an opening in the top of the railway car, a fan connected to the snorkel and drawing products of combustion therefrom, a combustion chamber, means for directing the products of combustion from the fan into the combustion chamber, and means for heating the combustion chamber to cause further burning of the products of combustion to eliminate partially burned portions thereof.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for heating the combustion chamber includes gas burner means directed into the combustion chamber.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright and the gas burner means is directed tangentially into the combustion chamber.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein a turbulence plate extends radially inwardly of the combustion chamber from a wall thereof into the path of direction of the gas burner means to cause turbulent mixing inside the combustion chamber.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the gas burner means and the turbulence plate are located in a lower portion of the combustion chamber and a second gas burner means is disposed in an upper portion of the combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and the first gas burner means and directed chordwise of the combustion chamber.

6. A device for reducing atmospheric pollution from railway car dismantling by combustion, comprising in combination a snorkel adapted to receive effluent from a railway car undergoing combustive dismantling, a combustion chamber, a fan for receiving fluid from said snorkel and propelling it through the combustion chamber, means for driving said fan at speeds in a range from zero to that necessary to deliver fluid in quantities within the capacity of the combustion chamber, and means maintaining temperature in the combustion chamber at which combustion of combustible substances in the effluent is completed in the combustion chamber.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein the device is located adjacent a railroad track and the effluent receiving end of the snorkel is positionable as desired between a lower effluent receiving position and a retracted limit position in which railway vehicles may pass without interference along said track.

8. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the effluent receiving end of the snorkel is movable while its effluent discharging end remains in cooperating relation to said fan and means are provided for positioning the effluent receiving end of the snorkel.

9. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the receiving end of the snorkel is positionable adjacent to and in registry with the opening in the car from which effluent issues from the car, that the receiving end of the snorkel is movable to vary its spacing from the car to regulate the amount of non-eflluent air received by the snorkel along with the effluent from the car to form in the snorkel a fluid mixture of effluent discharge end thereof and that the receiving end of the snorkel is moved further away from the car to prevent temperature of fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel rising above desired levels and moved toward the car as the temperature of the fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel tends to decrease below desired level so as to maintain desired temperature at the discharge end of the snorkel.

l l. A- device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that fan driving means are operable to drivethe fan to deliver a small amount of air to the combustion chamber during preheating of the combustion chamber and following ignition of a railway car to drive the fan at a speed at which it delivers from the snorkel to the combustion chamber fluid of desired temperature in greater volume as is available from the snorkel but not in excess of the capacity of the combustion chamber, until the volume of such fluid available from the snorkel returns to the volume delivered to the combustion chamber during preheating thereof.

12. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, that means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber includes at least one variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion-chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of said turbulence plate and cooperatively connected to said burner to so modulate the thermal input thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.

13. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chambenthat means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber include a variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angleand tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, that the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber includes a second burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal in put thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.

14. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, that means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber include a variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered into the combustion chamber by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion chamberin the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, that the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber includes a second variable output burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and tempera ture sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal input thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.

15. A device for reducing atmospheric pollution from railway car dismantling by combustion, comprising in combination a snorkel adapted to'receive effluent from a railway car undergoing combustive dismantling, the effluent receiving end of the snorkel being positionable adjacent to and in registry with the opening in the car from which effluent issues from the carand movable to vary its spacing from the car to regulate the amount of non-effluent air received by the snorkel along with the effluent from the car, temperature-of-fluid sensing means provided in the snorkel adjacent the discharge end thereof, the receiving end of the snorkel being moved further away from the car to counteract rise in temperature of fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel above desired levels and moved toward the car to counteract drop in temperature of the fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel below desired level so as to maintain desired temperature at the discharge end of the snorkel, to form in the snorkel a fluid mixture of effluent and air having a desired temperature for delivery to the fan, a combustion chamber, a fan for receiving fluid from said snorkel and propelling it through the combustion chamber, means for driving said fan at speeds in a range from zero to that necessary to deliver fluid in quantities within the capacity of the combustion chamber so as to deliver a small amount of air to the combustion chamber during preheating of the combustion chamber and following 1 than the volume delivered to the combustion chamber during preheating thereof, the combustion chamber being substantially cylindrical and upright, fluid from the fan being delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber including at least one variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, a turbulence plate projecting into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber including a second variable output burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal output thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber. 

1. Apparatus for disposing of products of combustion from burning flammable portions of a railway car which comprises a snorkel, means for raising and lowering the snorkel over an opening in the top of the railway car, a fan connected to the snorkel and drawing products of combustion therefrom, a combustion chamber, means for directing the products of combustion from the fan into the combustion chamber, and means for heating the combustion chamber to cause further burning of the products of combustion to eliminate partially burned portions thereof.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for heating the combustion chamber includes gas burner means directed into the combustion chamber.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright and the gas burner means is directed tangentially into the combustion chamber.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein a turbulence plate extends radially inwardly of the combustion chamber from a wall thereof into the path of direction of the gas burner means to cause turbulent mixing inside the combustion chamber.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the gas burner means and the turbulence plate are located in a lower portion of the combustion chamber and a second gas burner means is disposed in an upper portion of the combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and the first gas burner means and directed chordwise of the combustion chamber.
 6. A device for reducing atmospheric pollution from railway car dismantling by combustion, comprising in combination a snorkel adapted to receive effluent from a railway car undergoing combustive dismantling, a combustion chamber, a fan for receiving fluid from said snorkel and propelling it through the combustion chamber, means for driving said fan at speeds in a range from zero to that necessary to deliver fluid in quantities within the capacity of the combustion chamber, and means maintaining temperature in the combustion chamber at which combustion of combustible substances in the effluent is completed in the combustion chamber.
 7. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein the device is located adjacent a railroad track and the effluent receiving end of the snorkel is positionable as desired between a lower effluent receiving position and a retracted limit position in which railway vehicles may pass without interference along said track.
 8. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the effluent receiving end of the snorkel is movable while its effluent discharging end remains in cooperating relation to said fan and means are provided for positioning the effluent receiving end of the snorkel.
 9. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the receiving end of the snorkel is positionable adjacent to and in registry with the opening in the car from which effluent issues from the car, that the receiving end of the snorkel is movable to vary its spacing from the car to regulate the amount of non-effluent air received by the snorkel along with the effluent from the car to form in the snorkel a fluid mixture of effluent and air having a desired temperature for delivery to the fan.
 10. A device in accordance with claim 9 characterized by the fact that temperature-of-fluid sensing means are provided in the snorkel adjacent the discharge end thereof and that the receiving end of the snorkel is moved further away from the car to prevent temperature of fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel rising above desired levels and moved toward the car as the temperature of the fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel tends to decrease below desired level so as to maintain desired temperature at the discharge end of the snorkel.
 11. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that fan driving means are operable to drive the fan to deliver a small amount of air to the combustion chamber during preheaTing of the combustion chamber and following ignition of a railway car to drive the fan at a speed at which it delivers from the snorkel to the combustion chamber fluid of desired temperature in greater volume as is available from the snorkel but not in excess of the capacity of the combustion chamber, until the volume of such fluid available from the snorkel returns to the volume delivered to the combustion chamber during preheating thereof.
 12. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, that means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber includes at least one variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of said turbulence plate and cooperatively connected to said burner to so modulate the thermal input thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.
 13. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, that means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber include a variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, that the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber includes a second burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal input thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.
 14. A device in accordance with claim 6 characterized by the fact that the combustion chamber is substantially cylindrical and upright, that fluid is delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, that means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber include a variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered into the combustion chamber by said fan, that a turbulence plate projects into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, that the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber includes a second variable output burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal input thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber.
 15. A device for reducinG atmospheric pollution from railway car dismantling by combustion, comprising in combination a snorkel adapted to receive effluent from a railway car undergoing combustive dismantling, the effluent receiving end of the snorkel being positionable adjacent to and in registry with the opening in the car from which effluent issues from the car and movable to vary its spacing from the car to regulate the amount of non-effluent air received by the snorkel along with the effluent from the car, temperature-of-fluid sensing means provided in the snorkel adjacent the discharge end thereof, the receiving end of the snorkel being moved further away from the car to counteract rise in temperature of fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel above desired levels and moved toward the car to counteract drop in temperature of the fluid at the discharge end of the snorkel below desired level so as to maintain desired temperature at the discharge end of the snorkel, to form in the snorkel a fluid mixture of effluent and air having a desired temperature for delivery to the fan, a combustion chamber, a fan for receiving fluid from said snorkel and propelling it through the combustion chamber, means for driving said fan at speeds in a range from zero to that necessary to deliver fluid in quantities within the capacity of the combustion chamber so as to deliver a small amount of air to the combustion chamber during preheating of the combustion chamber and following ignition of a railway car to drive the fan at a speed at which it delivers from the snorkel to the combustion chamber fluid of desired temperature in as great volume as is available from the snorkel but not in excess of the capacity of the combustion chamber nor less than the volume delivered to the combustion chamber during preheating thereof, the combustion chamber being substantially cylindrical and upright, fluid from the fan being delivered tangentially into the lower portion of the chamber, means maintaining the temperature of the combustion chamber including at least one variable output burner directing a flame at an upward angle and tangentially into the combustion chamber so the burner flame projects along the flow of said fluid delivered thereto by said fan, a turbulence plate projecting into the combustion chamber in the path of said burner flame and fluid for causing the fluid to move turbulently upward, the means maintaining temperature in said combustion chamber including a second variable output burner projecting a flame upwardly into and chordwise of said combustion chamber above the turbulence plate and into the turbulent fluid, and temperature sensing means sensing the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber at an elevation above that of the second burner and cooperatively connected to said burners to so modulate the thermal output thereof that the temperature of the fluid in the combustion chamber remains in a range in which combustion of substances in the fluid is completed in the combustion chamber. 